Women's race set to be the highlight of this year's Walled City Marathon
Hopes are high that the fifth edition of the Walled City Marathon this weekend will bring with it Derry’s first winner.
Over 1500 runners will take to the streets of Derry on Sunday morning, each with their own goal in mind – be it a time, a charity or the accomplishment of completing the 26.2 mile course.
In the elite section of the event however there are a number of world class runners, including former winner Freddy Sittuk, who returns to Derry this year hoping to recapture his crown from Eric Keogh, who took the title twelve months ago.
Locally, Foyle Valley will be hosted by Chris McGuiness and Mark Long who will be hoping to impress, while City of Derry Spartans will be well represented again.
But it is in the women’s event where the hopes of a city lie with Spartan Catherine Whoriskey seemingly getting better and better with each passing year.
The talented Spartan romped to victory at the Strabane Half Marathon in 78m 32s recently, just 48 hours after confirming her intention to run her second Marathon.
She will join a classy quartet in the battle for the up front female honours in the Maiden City. Irish Olympian, defending champion and twice winner, Tullamore Harrier Pauline Curley, 2014 winner Anne Curley of Donore Harriers, another Irish Olympian Letterkenny's Caitriona Jennings and the Omagh based Project Africa Kenyan, Salome Jepkeoch Kimutai are already confirmed for what should be a real battle royal through the streets of Derry this weekend.
Whoriskey moved up in distance over the last two years posting a series of brilliant new PB's over 5K and 10K on road and track, winning the Waterside Half Marathon in 2015 and 2016, the SSE Airtricity 10 miler this year and only a few months ago delivering an excellent 2hrs 48m clocking in her debut Marathon in Seville and hopes are high that she can rise to the occasion again.
Race Organiser Noel McMonagle is excited at the quality in this year’s event.
“The women’s race is going to be a key factor because it’s a class field,” he told the Derry News. “It’s a really, really good field as far as marathons go. We have Olympian Pauline Curry, who has run 2:47 the last two years, then you have Catherine Whoriskey who has thrown her hat into the ring, then we have Sinead Jennings from Letterkenny. Then we have Ann Curley, who won back in 2013, so it has the makings of a good race.
“It’s going to be a great race up front with Catherine, Sinead and Pauline. It’s exciting for us because there’s the possibility that we could end up with the first local winner if Catherine wins it.”
McMonagle is hoping for a record breaking run in the men’s event, insisting that the potential is there for a sub 2:20 winner.
“The men’s race is going to be an exciting race because there are a couple of guys there who, if they run to their par, they will run very close to 2:20,” he explained. “There’s a bonus if someone dips under the 2:20 so we’re hoping that’s incentive for someone to do it. Freddy Sittuk is back this year after missing last year and by all accounts he’s in great shape.”
McMonagle has been involved with each Walled City Marathon to date and he again highlighted the importance of local support for the runners.
“It’s hard to call but it will be a great day for the city again hopefully,” he continued. “People always turn out to support it and get behind everyone. This is the fifth one already and there’s so much work put into it every time. It’s got the makings of a good race. It’s going to be a good fundraiser for a lot of charities.”